Tuesday, December 23, 2008

A Sunday in Hell: 1976 Paris Roubaix

I stayed up late last night and watched Jorgen Leth's Documentary on the 1976 edition of the Paris Roubaix. I know when you think of Paris Roubaix visions of rain, mud, cobbles and cow manure dance in your head, but in 1976, as in most years I've learned, the weather was great for a bike race, sunny and relatively warm. What I found particularly fascinating about this race is how the great champions, Merckx, De Vlaemink and Moser really take charge in the races and just pull and pull. They truly were in a league of their own. It's a wonderful DVD. Watch it.

A Side Note: I find it particularly touching knowing that the winner of this 1976 edition of the race died some years later of a heart attack at the age of 31. So sad, yet he died a great champion having won the Queen of the Classics.

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